U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who is a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today called on the U.S. Department Agriculture to issue an agriculture disaster declaration to send relief to upstate grape farms and vineyards damaged by a long winter of sub-zero temperatures.  She joins New York's senior Senator, Democrat Charles Schumer who has also made the request.  Gillibrand ha...read more

A Fredonia man who has helped many lives through the RO Foundation that he co-founded has died after a lengthy illness.  Joseph Russo Jr. passed away Tuesday at Buffalo General Hospital.  He was 60.  Russo and Margaret "Maggie" Owen founded the RO Foundation in 2010.  The local not-for-profit organization assists patients and their families with unexpected travel expenses while...read more

The State Comptroller's Office is asking a South County town to investigate where more than 7,000 gallons of fuel went after the state agency completed an audit of the fuel supply.  The audit deals with the town of Poland's Vehicle Fuel Inventory.  Among the findings... the town does not maintain perpetual inventory records to show the amount of fuel remaining in inventory at any given t...read more

The transition from county to private ownership of the Chautauqua County Home is underway with another step expected to be taken today.  County Executive Vince Horrigan says he'll be part of a conference call with State Health Department officials regarding the Dunkirk facility's purchase by VestraCare.  Horrigan says the process is now under the control of the state, but the facility wi...read more

A 21-year-old Warren, Pennsylvania man lost his life in a snowboarding accident Wednesday afternoon at Holiday Valley in Ellicottville.  Connor English was rushed to Olean General Hospital where he later died according to reports.  A Ski Center spokeswoman says English apparently lost control while snowboarding, went off the trail and collided with a tree.  A Cattaraugus County coro...read more

Chautauqua County Clerk Larry Barmore says they are making some headway with the state over the problems that have been plaguing the State DMV system. The problems have been causing delays at local DMV offices. Barmore, who appeared on WDOE's Viewpoint program today, wants county residents to use the local DMV offices, but if you don't want to wait, there are a couple of alternatives... [audio:ba...read more

Authorities at the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport stopped a Silver Creek man for possessing a loaded handgun in his carry-on bag Thursday morning at the airport.  36-year-old Troy Livecche was stopped after a Transportation Security Administration officer spotted the handgun while staffing the checkpoint X-ray machine.  The TSA contacted the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authori...read more

Police in Jamestown arrested a Warren, Pennsylvania man last night after he was found to be in possession of heroin. Officers pulled over a vehicle at the intersection of Foote Avenue and Bush Place around 9:30 PM and found drug paraphernalia in plain view, which was near two children inside the vehicle. After a search of the vehicle, officers seized .9 grams of heroin and several hypodermic needl...read more

The Buffalo chicken wing turns 50 years old today! They're celebrating at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, which invented the cayenne-pepper sauced bar snack with blue-cheese dressing and celery on the side. Mark Dempsey, Vice President of the Anchor Bar franchise and distribution company, is proud of the half-century tradition... [audio:BuffaloWings50thExcited.MP3]Mark Dempsey: excited about 50th...read more

A Cassadaga man is facing DWI and drug related charges after a traffic stop in the town of Pomfret last night.  State Police in Fredonia say they pulled over 42-year-old Martellion Ham on Straight Road near Route 60. Troopers say they found him in possession of a small amount of cocaine and he allegedly had a breath test of .08 percent blood alcohol content.  Troopers also learned that H...read more